Why Is Jake From State Farm in Video Game ‘NBA 2K22’? (Video)

Gamers were scratching their heads after a viral video showed that Jake from State Farm Insurance commercials has a bizarre cameo in the new video game “NBA 2K22” released on Friday.

Players in the game can interact with their favorite (?) figure from all those endless ads. And you may be wondering why a video game you spent $60 for has such a blatant moment of product placement.

You can check out a video of the in-game moment from “NBA 2K22” above, but in it, a motion-captured version of the real actor who plays Jake, actor Kevin Miles, has a conversation with your main character welcoming him to the city and saying how big a fan he is. Your player then even reacts in astonishment when Jake finally says his signature catchphrase, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”

Jake from State Farm even talks about making sure your character has “the drip,” which is slang for having a certain amount of swag or fashion sense. And talking with him actually unlocks a skin for your character in which he’s wearing a State Farm red polo shirt and khakis. You can see how that looks here via the Twitter user whose video of the scene went viral.

“NBA 2K22” has a career mode in which players can create their own burgeoning basketball star and complete missions and quests. As part of that journey, you can even explore an open, online game world called The City, where you can shop in stores or gain collectibles. Interacting with Jake is a quest or mission that your player can complete in order to obtain the in-game outfit. Hopefully you get a trophy for doing that, too.

Many fans of the “NBA 2K” series may not be too surprised by how blatant the advertising is here, as the franchise has been known for its many micro-transactions and ways to open randomly generated loot boxes and unlock new players by engaging with literal slot machines.

“NBA 2K22” is available now for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One.

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